It’s always good to know how your money is being spent; the easiest way to do that is by tracking it with a budget binder.
Most people work best with a visual aids. While you can use a simple spreadsheet, they are very boring.
This article will discuss how to make a budget binder and simplify your finances.
Understanding your income and expenses is a critical step in managing your money. You should track all your spending.
What Is A Budget Binder?
A budget binder is visual way to track all your spending but without the tedious nature of a spreadsheet.
The benefit of having a physical binder to organize your spending is that it allows you to include any cash envelopes or documentation that may help you when looking at your income and expenses.
Unlike a spreadsheet, a budget binder allows you to customize it to your heart’s content.
Include colors, calligraphy, stickers, and anything you need to make your binder as visually appealing as possible.
The prettier it is, the more fun it will be, which is ideal for a bird you’ll probably see a lot of.
Having everything laid out in front of you allows you to create a plan for your spending easily.
Having goals and a way to reach them can help remove any stress that money brings.
It’s time to learn how to make a budget binder.
What Do You Need?
Everything on this list is optional; a budget binder can be made with a pen and notepad if you want.
Most of this you might already have in your home. Remember, we’re supposed to be on a budget, so don’t splurge on super expensive stationary.
Unless you desperately want to, in which case you can write it down in your new beautiful binder.
- Binder – Try to pick one in your favorite color or a cool pattern.
- Paper – Make sure it will fit nicely into your binder.
- Plastic pockets – To put any receipts into.
- Dividers – For easy organization by month.
- Fun pens – Colored or fun designs, make it something you are excited to use.
- Highlighters – Color code everything!
- Whiteout – Mistakes can happen, may as well be prepared.
- Paper clips – A less permanent option to staples.
- Hole punch – Only needed if you use an actual binder, not a notebook.
- Calculator – Your phone calculator will also work.
- Online PDFs – If you don’t feel like designing, you can find pre-made ones online.
Layout
You want your binder to be easy to navigate; how you do this can vary from person to person.
We advise having a divider for each month and using different colors for outgoings and ingoings.
Monthly Budget
Try to keep track of your budget on a monthly basis. There should be a column for income, fixed expenses, and variable expenses.
Try to be as accurate as possible for the best results.
Fixed expenses (rent, phone bill, internet, etc.) are what come out in a set amount every month.
Variable expenses (groceries, gas, nights out) are what can change every month or may not be a monthly thing.
Seeing everything you’re buying written down in front of you can stop you from overspending.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be spending more money than you need to.
Try to budget some fun money for yourself every month; you deserve it for all the organizing you’re doing.
Monthly Goals
Every month, write down your goals, so you know why you’re saving. You can have small monthly goals and/or long-term goals.
A small monthly goal can be as simple as buying a new pair of shoes.
Whereas a long-term goal could be paying off your student loans or going on your dream vacation.
Calendar
Try to include a monthly calendar. You can note when you get paid, what days certain bills go out, or any events that will happen during the month, like birthdays.
Never let an unexpected standing order take you by surprise again.
Debt Payments
Let’s be honest; most of us have debts, so keeping track of them is a worldwide struggle.
Keeping a page dedicated to tracking them all in your binder can make it less of a struggle for you.
If you have multiple debt payments, try to order them based on which ones you’re trying to pay off first.
It will also be a good idea to put down the interest rates for each of them.
If you know when you’re expected to pay them off, then make note of that; it can give you something to look forward to.
Savings Tracker
The goal of a budget binder is to have savings at the end of the month. Any money not spent should ideally be put into a savings account.
Having a monthly savings tracker can let you know how close you are to your financial goals.
Subscription Tracker
In this modern age, everything is subscription based. So keeping track of them is just as important as all your other expenses.
You can see exactly what you’re paying for every month. And, if you see something you are subscribed to but don’t use as often, you can save money by canceling it.
Final Thoughts
With a budget binder, you will be saving money in no time. The primary use of it should be that it is fun and easy to use but still important.
If you don’t know what you should put into your savings account, then use your first month as a basis.
If you find after a couple of months that it was an anomaly, then you can adjust accordingly.
The most important thing is to remember to keep on top of it.
Writing in a little every week is better than cramming a lot at the month’s end.
We hope this article on How To Make A Budget Binder will take your money management skills to the next level.
So get crafty and get organized!
If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy our post on ‘How To Budget For An Apartment‘.
